I just wanted to thank you today for hanging out with me on this blog. Whether you are new or have been hanging out for a while, the fact that you even come here ever is mind boggling. I was talking to my sister about it yesterday and she was like "I can't believe people just go to see what you are wearing each day" and I said that I like to see what they are wearing too. We all do it and check each other out, like a massive network of girl crushes.
Soft core porn for the fashionable. It sounds pretty weird actually, but when you really start thinking about it, Why Are we so interested? Why are we compulsively photographing our outfits and sharing them? IS it a form of
artistic expression (like I think It is) or
social validation, or a way to connect and make
friends, or something else? Some people are very focused on making a living by blogging. I guess that would be the ultimate reward right?
Be yourself,
Show yourself,
Tell your thoughts and people will listen and because they listen brands will pay you to tell the people about them. I think I feel like I am a part of a tribe or something too. Like a club or full on subculture. and we are all progressing together, changing and evolving through
inspiration and. . .
competition maybe? I don't feel like I am competing anyway, because there is no finish line is there? No. There are just numbers that climb, but those who started the race first will always be ahead, and those who start later can catch up I guess, but without a finish line no one ever wins. What are we doing? I am sure its a different answer for everyone. WHY am
I doing this? Because I love it. Why do I love to do this? That is the question. I have met some really great people. I have been humbled and inspired. I have opened quite a few doors, built quite a few bridges. But what truly gives me joy? Having a place to ask these questions? Maybe. Is it for the External Validation? "Ya, you are 30 and a married and a mom and you live in the sticks and you are still cool." Is that what I am really asking for proof of? If so, why do I need proof? When Things feel really exciting to me, why are they exciting? Is the answer, "I have been noticed, people noticed me.
I am not anonymous in this world. If I disappeared, people will know I am gone." Is this a basic drive in the human instinct? Leave a mark on the world? Since we have knowledge of our mortality, is it then instinctually important to us to ensure our survival, not only through our DNA by having children, but in the hearts and minds of those who survive us? And as many as we possibly can? Does reaching out and connecting with people create extensions of our "personhood" or "Souls"? Is a memory enough to make a person immortal? And once you are dead, why would you even care about the mark you left? And is this even about death or doing something while I am alive? Wait a minute. Where were we?
Bla bla bla. You don't have to answer any of this or even read it. Just blabbering off. Diarrhea of the mind. WAIT!! Did I just write that so that in case you think this is all crazy talk, I can pretend to devalue it so that you can see I am not so serious? Shit. Do I care what you think? Dangit. Its a circle.
COMMENT OF THE DAY: There is no link back to Jenara, so I can't go and personally thank you for this very simple but very complete comment. I thought it was the perfectly succinct answer though. Thank you.
We all need a witness to our lives; otherwise, what would life be? Like the ever unanswered question, Does a falling tree make a sound if there is no one there to hear it?
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61 comments:
beautiful.
I think about this probably once a week. Why am I doing this? I think it is a little bit of that self-validation. I know a huge part of me still wishes that I was the cool kid from high school instead of the awkward girl that didn't leave a mark. I write my blog because I originally wanted a way to share with my friends from home what was going on with me. I write my blog because I need an outlet from work. I write my blog and read blogs and connect with others to know that even without the "tangible" people in my life, I can still connect with people. I read other's blogs because I'm nosey. I look at what other's are wearing for the selfish gain that I can learn from that they have posted.
I knew that at some point I would probably start to make friends, but I honestly had no idea the closeness that I would feel with people whom I interact with on a blogging basis.
I feel like I could answer every one of those questions a thousand different ways. Christina, why are so awesome and deep like that?
I think that I could a Van Gogh ear off in reply to alll the wonderful psychobabble that you just said, but I think that Kate Freeman said it very succinctly. :D
But honestly, I was just thinking about that today. Why do I love blogging so much, and why do I love other blogs? In a funny way, I think I said to myself that it feels like I'm "born to blog" (I thought this while "Born to be Wild" started playing in my head). I think it's still a new realm that's growing every day, literally and figuratively, and that's a wonderful thing. I personally love blogs because it helped cultivate my passion for fashion while immersing myself in a community. Great clothes and great people? I can't argue with that.
PS: Thank you!!! for choosing me as the comment of the day yesterday, I'm such a spaz. And thank you for the nice comment, too. :)
Toast with Charmalade
You are insanely clever and an overthinker, which i think is a very good thing with many bad side effects... Anyways. You have many marks... Love you...
you are an inspiration to me everyday. and how often do you get to meet someone on the other side of the country who can tell you the ins and out of acupuncture? or trade mixes? (okay, so i owe you one still). it's coming. don't you worry.
so...thanks.
brooke/wily wiley
this might be my favorite outfit yet! very well done.
www.greeneggsandglam.blogspot.com
yep. i think about this too. i am new to the fashion blogging thing but i look forward to it everyday. getting inspiration from others, trying to be inspiration to someone else, finding new people who are like me. i'm in a small town, married, a mom, and there aren't many around here who are like me. i'm one of the only ones who doesn't drive a van or wear jeans and an oversized tshirt everyday. i do this to fit in. to feel like i belong. i love where i live, but it's nice to have a community like this to be a part of too. and, christina, i want to thank you for inspiring me and helping me to feel welcome.
aww Christina I love ya! this post right here is why I keep coming back, why my poor brain has not turned to mush. Your super inspiring and I can't hope that one day I'll be half the wife/mother you are. I can totally hear you about the non existing finish line. Blogging has pushed me to do better, be more active enjoy life just a bit more. I get inspired by bloggers stories and life journeys.
Loved reading this. I think it's really hard for people outside of this little world to understand. I am shy about telling people about my blog because I'm afraid they'll just think I'm really vain. It's hard to explain to outsiders! Haha.
Christina, I just love your rambles! They're very well thought out and intelligent, as rambles go.
It boggles me too, that people come back day after day to see how I'm wearing my wardrobe. Fascinating.
loving the cut of that jacket! great find.
xo, Kim www.crowded-closet.com
I think it's about inspiration! There is so much of it shared through blogging (and social networking in general) and so many meaningful connections made. I love the Indonesian dress story you share with Sabrina. That's pretty amazing!
Also, very sweet scarf!
http://rainbowjaguar.tumblr.com/
Christina Marie (and I can say that because I am a Christina Marie... but we've already "discussed" that) :) I think you have written something that all of us fellow bloggers consistently think about... I started my blog because I noticed all these awesome fashion blogs, and I thought why don't I do that! Anywho, I think it's a great way to find inspiration for your own fashion... I've seen my style evolve a bit from this. I'm a little braver than I would have ever been before. And hey, I'm not pretending that it's not flattering to get nice comments/validation on what you're wearing... and flattery will get you everywhere. :)
I just like to write and take pictures. Sharing them with others is more fun to me than not.
We all need a witness to our lives; otherwise, what would life be? Like the ever unanswered question, Does a falling tree make a sound if there is no one there to hear it?
stop thinking!! if it's working, then that's all that matters. if you're happy, then that's all that matters. the second that changes, then you can think.
: )
It is an oddly addicting little world, isn't it? I think it's just fun to interact with people that not only like the same things as you, but also "get" why you like them.
Also, I received my dress yesterday! It's adorable! And I can't wait to wear it out :).
Thank you!!
I find myself wondering some of the same things. There is this underlying ugliness to the fashion world; the element of superficiality. But, it doesn't necessarily have to be that way, some just interpret it as such. I struggle with this a lot. But, I remind myself that it's not just about bloggers that do sponsored posts, or how many chic points one gets. It's about that feeling that you get when you dream up a beautiful concept and you have succeeded in creating it in real life. Then, you get to share it with everyone else in hope that they will become inspired.
ramble ramble ramble
have a lovely day!
thank you for this post and the chance of self-reflection
becauseicantgonaked.blogspot.com
In a way, I've been contemplating the same sort of conundrum lately. Although my thoughts are along the lines of who I keep coming back to, and why. The one common denominator (since the blogs I read are literally across the spectrum) is humbleness. I've found myself pulling away from the 'famous' blogs and turning instead towards people that seem more real, tangible if you will, and aren't sponsored by huge brands, or featured so much that it becomes common place for them. These people are grateful for every little comment, although some admit that they get jealous of more popular sites, they also appreciate the people who come back day, after day to check them out. I think being humble, as well as being polite, are qualities that are greatly lacking in today's population, which is why I gravitate so quickly towards those who show those traits. (obviously you ha).
And of course it satisfies my inner voyeur, which without, I would spend far more time driving around at night to see inside people's houses. (I kid.. mostly)
I like your "psycho-babble" ! ( An unexamined life , and all that jazz !). I spend many hours wondering why and what for's , i believe you summed it up. I don't think the answer as to why we blog is the same for all people , but for me it started as a hobby to re-connect to my creativity , then came the thrill of the new follower , then acceptance that other's appreciate my sense of style , then some disappointment when I felt "unappreciated " . It has been a way of finding myself again . A re-birth of sorts . You wouldn't think something so "trivial" as fashion blogging could be such a self-awareness exercise ! A fellow blogger helped me stop monitoring my peer points by saying "if it doesn't bring you pleasure , then stop . Blog for yourself ". That helped me enjoy blogging for the sheer enjoyment of sharing a common love for creative dressing . Thanks for the post !
You look really comfortable in this outfit
I wondered all of these questions before creating my blog.. I'm still not sure where I'm heading with it or what I'm doing it for. I'm just going to call it a little experiment ha.
I've been reading style blogs for a little over a year, because I love new inspiration and I have fun seeing what everybody else wears. Especially if it's funky and fresh, or classic. Plus it is a great way to meet people! It's nice talking to people who care about looking put together and take pride in what they wear.
I love how you think about things, and btw you do not look like a 30 year old mom, at all (and I mean this in the best way possible without trying to diss the 30yo moms out there :))! I don't think there is one simple answer though, I have different blogs that I check for different reasons. The blogs that I check purely for the pictures/outfits instead of the writing are just a version of windowshopping, my way of getting inspired and just looking at pretty things is a nice way of spending some free time. The blogs I actually read for the texts are kind of like one way friendships I guess. It feels like I know these cool girls with these cool lives, and I like reading about their lives, especially if they are clever and funny. The picture blogs I prefer to be pretty and perfect. The read-blogs shouldn't be too perfect, they should be REAL, with real girls telling me about their real lives.
Why I blog, personally? Validation, probably. I like attention, and I like hearing honest opinions about my ideas concerning fashion. But it has turned into something purely for me, not for recognition. It feels nice to create something, something thoughtprovoking, something pretty, something like a diary. I love reading my old entries and seeing where I was back then. Fashionblogging is great for your confidence. I can take pictures and hate myself in them the day I took them, but after a month or so when I look back at them with a little distance between me and the pics, I can honestly say I like my own pictures and my own writing. That feels really good :)
yup, I have lots of blogger girl crushes lol. :-)
This was a great post. I often think that myself. I could probably get another part time job instead of blogging but it feels GOOD to come up with new outfits every day. It is something I do for myself and I want to share what I came up with and learned through it. But sometimes it does feel like I need people's approval but that is not what I wanted intentionally. Man, this IS a vicious circle...
clothedmuch.blogspot.com
I often sit and think why I blog. I am honestly the only person in my close circle of friends that does it. Its sort of search for kindred spirits in my mind. None of my close friends are really all that much like me. It is good to know that others think and dress the same way I do.
I dont make a single penny off of my blog and I don't intend to. Not because I find it wrong but, because I just dont look at it like that. Its not to say that my blog hasn't helped me because it has. I work in eCommerce for a retail company and when social media started to gain popularity and everyone I knew was starring blankly into annual goal spreadsheets listing "Social Media" as an initiative, I raised my hand and said, "I know what it is, I do it and I can help you." And now my passion has become my job but I LIKE it.
Ok ok, babble babble I go. But I think it is great when others put their thoughts out there and make their blog not just about their outfit but also about them. Afterall, in my long long reader list, most of the girls I visit I don't visit just to see what they are wearing but even more to see what they are saying.
You are right at so many levels. It is an endless circle alright. But the bottom line is we do what we do because we love doing it. I am very very new to the blogging scene (started two months back, ya know) and I am loving every minute of it. And your blog is such an inspiration, I want to personally thank you for that. Thank You !! :-)
wow this is one intense post, definitely brings up a lot of fascinating and unanswerable questions.
i know some people who are horribly cynical about blogging. actually in some sense they're almost neoluddites. they find blogging to be the great democratization and if it is true democracy then blogging proves democracy fails. because with everyone voicing their opinions it proves that most people have nothing to say. let me make this clear, I don't agree with this otherwise I would not be blogging, but clearly if it stirrs up this controversy it is important
I blog as a way of self expression, to connect with people, to inspire myself. it forces me to continue writing. for awhile I said, "oh I used to write...but now..." well you know what, blogging is writing, and I better take some credit for that, so I will. it keeps me writing and I need that audience to make me better. there are many posts I start and delete because they are not up to my writing standards, that's how seriously I take it sometimes.
I also find that blogging shows that everyone is capable of being awesome. you can be from the middle of nowhere and have more to say than someone in a city. it really shows that people are interesting from all over
I think this my favorite poster ever in the history of the world. haha. I'm in the process of writing a blog about how sometimes I get this incredible urge to just delete my internet presence. Delete the facebook, delete the pretty empty and sad myspace that I never check, delete the blogspot. Delete delete delete. And just erase this internet "me" from the world. I actually sometime think, "What if I died in a car accident? Maybe I should leave a list of passwords and email and webpages so someone can delete them after I'm gone." (I often wonder about that as well, about how nothing ever really goes away on here and some form, shadow or whisper will always be left on here). And then I do a turn around in the opposite direction and then want to put it all out there and share my world with the world and connect and say hello. But I hesitate just a bit about posting photos just cause I worry about where they end up, but the same could be said for words as well.
Anywho, what I'm saying is yeah it is interesting to think about why we do this and have these lives online. Ultimately I love it because it helps make this big vast world just a tad smaller. It gives us all a way to connect and express and communicate and make sense of this mixed up, muddled up world.
Great, casual outfit! Love it!
Very interesting blog as well. It's funny because I had a discussion with an associate not too long ago and she asked me why I have a blog...honestly, I have a blog because I wanted one. It's my online diary sort of speak. It's way more interesting than writing in a book. I feel that other bloggers have blogs maybe for the same reasons or just because they're very artistic. Either way, it's been fun and I've made new friendships doing so.
Great post and I totally agree with you - it's a community and one that I love being a part of.
BTW - I'm loving your distressed jeans. I've been living in mine over the weekend and can't get enough of them.
Haha, totally get what you're trying to say. It is a gigantic network of girl crushes that we draw style inspiration from! Try explaining that to anyone, it looks ridiculous!
Lovely outfit, btw <3
I love this post. This is something I have been thinking about for a long time. The WHY of blogging. Also, I love your cowboy boots!
I think connecting is definitely one reason. For example, you writing this post about what has been on my mind for the past couple of weeks-there, I'm not alone in my thoughts.
One of the reasons I visit your blog is not only because of your great fashion sense (and it is remarkable) but also because what you write is always so fantastic.
This is all so interesting. When I write a blog about the same thing I'll let you know!
<3
Kimberellie
Blogging is definitely a fun way to 'meet' people and get inspired - i love you looks, so many of them end up in my inspiration folder
Oh, and now that I have just read over every comment (something I have never bothered to do before, but this is such an interesting discussion!), I want to say it is because of people like you and Amanda (whose blog I am going to check out as soon as I'm done this).
The fact that there are other mothers out there blogging and into fashion really does it for me. Sometimes I think we just need to scour the whole world to find people we can really relate to!
thanks for being you! <3
Well you have definitely left your mark on me. Just before class today I checked your blog and am a little more excited to be the only girl not wearing nike shorts and uggs. You make jeans and a t-shirt look lovely and stylish!
First: Great outfit. So cute on you.
Second: I think, it's all of it combined. It's a way to find people who like the same things that you like, to reach out and find new friends all over the world which you wouldn't have found otherwise, certainly also a form of validation and open our soul, self expression to be sure, and a chance to grow and evolve on a lot of different levels, learning something about yourself, to tell our story.
It's human to reach out, to share and to look for likeminded people, blogging is just a new tool for it.
Cheers, San
I go through never ending thought circles like this pretty often too! Yes, blogging is definitely a form of self expression to me. But in the end it also comes to the deep need of getting acceptance from other people, I am quite tender and sometimes uncertain about myself so I guess I just really need people to interact with me and compliment me. What has surprised me is that how many amazing people I "know" through their blogs now, even though I've never met them I feel deep empathy and even friendship in some cases even though I've never met these people. Weird world!
Your outfit is so cute! Love this jacket!
You have got some really great ideas going there. I do my blog so I can later see what I was feeling or what inspired me at the moment in my life. I also think that it helps to know that there is a way to stay in touch even with generations that come after you. We all need validation if he we say we don't and its just another way of expressing who we are to the world, instead of just our small circle of people. I love your blog and its definetly one of my favorite to check out everyday. I do have a slight girl crush on you and i save your photos as inspiration plenty of times! Its good to relate to other women, if only over the internet!! Have a wonderful day.
Thank you so much lovely. I've been trying to think of new ideas and creations for my blog. It really has helped a lot. Love your blog and can't wait to read more posts from you.
<3
You really have a knack for verbalizing the thoughts of the masses. I am absolutely certain that you have glittering opportunities up ahead if your job situation goes as pear shaped as you fear.
This is something that I have been thinking about a lot this week. Why am I doing this? I think I am going through the lull after the initial high. I started my blog to have a chance to wear all the clothes I can’t in a strict Islamic country and at first it was just a bonus if someone said something kind because I was having so much fun. But now I seem to have lost sight of that and got all caught up in comparing myself unfavorably to other bloggers and wondering why I have no followers and so on. I have been wondering if I might be deluding myself about my style.
Hopefully I will turn a corner soon and figure out how to remember why I started…
I agree that it is mind boggling that people visit my tiny corner of the internets. It is also insane and kind of disturbing how caught up in blogging I have become. I spend way too much time reading and commenting on other people's blogs, and sometimes I wonder if that is detracting from the quality of the life that I live outside of the blogosphere. I do feel inspired. Sometimes I feel jealous. It is complicated, but at the end of the day I feel like it is worth doing, and usually a lot of fun.
I think it's lots of fun! I think the best part is when somebody tells me I inspire them. Because I never thought I'd ever inspire anyone. You know, it's just, what I wear.
I really love your blog! I have it as one of my bookmarks and I check it once a day. It helps keep my work day less dull. So thank you!
One suggestion, could you vary up your posing? I feel like you are kinda stuck in a rut of posing with your head cocked to the right. You are a beautiful girl, so use some more movement!
p.s. Your style is amazing, so I hope I didn't come across as harsh. Keep up the great work!
Well, I for one definitely have a bit of a girl crush on you.. I hope that's okay! And I'm a bit jealous, in a good way!, of your awesome outfits that are so unique and flattering and cool. I feel like such a run-of-the-mill nerd and when I see your outfits, I wonder if I could ever pull it off. Maybe some day. But for now I love to visit your site and see what you've put together.
I recently got a text message from a more or less distant male friend who found my site without my promotion. The message said only this "wow you take a lot of pictures of yourself for your blog thing." It helped me to remember the LARGE portion of the world who do not understand this blogging concept at all. And now your little portion of mind diarrhea is reminding me that we still havent put it all together ourselves. The best thing is to just try and not think about it for too long. It fun, that's all. Why do we jump on giant trampolines and sing in our cars by ourselves?
this particular question has crossed my mind on many occasions (especially on those days when i wake up and just can't find anything to wear or when i'm rushing to get out the door and i still take the time to photograph what i'm wearing). for me, blogging gives me a purpose. i re-watched "julie and julia" a few nights ago and really identified with julie when she said that she loved blogging because gave her something to do on a day-to-day basis... a routine, really.
why do i get up and take outfit photos even when, as a result, i'm late for work? because i need that. i need motivation to get up in the morning. i need something to propel me forward through the days. blogging has definitely given me that, to some small degree, and without it i would feel aimlessly adrift. wow, i don't mean to say that i would have a hard time getting up in the morning without my blog, that's not it at all... it just makes everything brighter somehow, this temporary feeling of purpose. also, reading the blogs of other girls inspires me, and i badly need inspiration in my life.
I love how you are so in tune with your style (it's pretty much MY ideal style that I can't produce for myself), and that you don't have the typical 'tude that so many of the fashionably elite do.
And yes, I'm most certainly trying to make my mark on this world. Whether or not I ever will is a different question, but I'll die trying!
http://www.firednfabulous.blogspot.com/
I love how Merly K put it, but I will also add my "two cents."
For a little while I considered starting my own fashion blog, if not to make friends then to keep a fashion diary of sorts that I can look back on. And then I started doubting myself.. it's so vain, i'm being superficial, etc etc.. Fashion blogging is all of these things because well, to the untrained eye clothes are just material objects we have to buy. But to many of us.. well, to me.. it is an art form.
I work in a lab, the people are stiff. How I dress is the only way I feel like I can express myself and BE myself. Is there validation when other people say I look nice today? Of course. But you can't help but feel good about yourself when you look in the mirror and admire the way you put things together. So if clothes make you feel good about yourself, what's so wrong about that? Clothes you picked out yourself, bought with your own money, and styled yourself. It truly is a form of art.
PS. I loved your view of the different tiers in the fashion world about pioneers and trend setters.. so true!
I also want to say that you are easy to relate to (even though we are quite different). Your style and shopping habits are easily adapted to my own lifestyle and I appreciate bloggers who try to do that. I mean, if I were an 18 year old teenager who lived with her mom and had mom's disposable income for everything I needed, well, I would for sure have killer style too. But I'm not, and I don't. So I appreciate bloggers such as yourself even more! Thanks, and keep up the good work ;)
I'm a little late in responding but I wanted to anyway. These are all excellent questions and ones I ask myself too. I do feel like it's a little self indulgent to blog about what I'm wearing but like others have said, you can't really understand it until you also do it. For me, it's about connecting with other people, pushing myself and giving myself a reason to really care what I put together. Not a ton of people I know IRL know about it because I don't want to be judged, but it's a nice place to spend part of my day.
I think about this so often. I always wonder if I'm doing this for my own personal gratification, to meet people who love the same things I do, or what? I do know that I feel as if I've "met" some of the most amazing people through blogging. I think that real kick or it IS that we are 30 and married and a mom and live in the stick and we're still cool. When I think of people I look up to, it isn't the latest celeb - it is the women whose blogs I read, they are my real inspiration.
Your post is very true. I love to blog and I love to read other people's blogs. I first started mine out of bordom and as an outlet for my love of writing and I don't think I will ever stop. Seeing that you have followers also feels pretty great!
When I'm out taking pictures of myself and people are glancing at me, I wonder why I'm blogging sometimes too. I wonder if it's somewhat conceited to think you look cute, so then you photograph yourself. That's why I didn't tell anyone I know in real life about my blog until last week. I was afraid they'd think I was full of myself.
I started my blog as a side project to motivate me to dress well everyday. I figure that if I had to prove that I was making an effort, I would actually make one. I think I've developed my own personal style more in the last month than I have in the past six years. Honest.
There's also the sense of connection I get. People who blog about fashion make me feel right at home. They dress how I've always wanted to. They think thrifting is hip, economical, and creative. I've made so many contacts (including you) in one month of blogging. It's amazing, this internet of ours.
I guess I went off on my own little rant here... haha.
I just re-read all the comments (again!) and isn't this a cool , exciting world ?! I was gonna chuck my blog many times , then I read something like this , or get a "net-hug" and keep on going , up-grading , and re-creating my blog ! I too am amazed at how neat this community really is !
Great post! Some really awesome observations about the nature of blogging and I really like your arguments for why this isn't really a competition, even if that's been the topic du jour on so many blogs recently. S.
I write about fashion because that's what I trained to do. With a Master's in fashion theory but no real prospects for further study or institutional affiliation, and no desire to throw myself into the catty, exclusionist, dimwitted editorial culture of the great majority of fashion mags. I have no other outlet.
I read others' style blogs because I enjoy hearing and seeing a variety of perspectives on clothing, culture, and society. I also, like you and some of my fellow commenters, live in a relatively rural area with very little active fashion culture. THe sense of community and communality I get from reading other style blogs is priceless: it makes me feel less isolated and out of place.
Finally, I post style pictures because it scares me, and I want to confront my fears.
While I often experience sensory overload in the real world, I love the way style blogs provide so much visual stimulation. [And I love that I can control the amount of content I take in.]
I've found that style blogs also push me to engage all my senses when I'm out and about...to look at the way people, plants, and things celebrate texture and color...which I consider a huge bonus.
So thanks for helping de-bland the landscape!
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